Pint-sized fashion at its most luxurious (that’s code for incredible kids’ clothes most of us can’t afford!)

Sometimes it’s fun to see how the other half lives, and in this case, the other half is spending stacks buying Dolce and Gabbana for their five-year-olds. For those of you with the budget, we’ve found some of the most luxurious, gorgeous children’s brands in the world. For the rest of us, it’s time to start playing the lottery.

When you’re buying kids’ luxury fashion, you’re introduced to a world of fabrics not normally seen in kids’ clothes: cashmere, silk, technical fabric. Technical fabric isn’t normally meant for clothes. It’s used as car seat upholstery or fire fighter’s heat resistant clothing. The benefit of this fabric is that it’s got body, so it holds a dramatic shape, like the swingy, sheepskin and technical fabric coat by Baby Dior (above). It’s so exclusive you need to go to Paris to buy it.

The good thing about luxury brands is they can be resold on eBay. Just look at the secondary market for Hermès bags – you could put a deposit on an apartment for the price of a Birkin. Nobody wants to buy your daughter’s Kmart dress, but they will buy her Armani Junior checked logo dress ($620).

In the universe of kids’ fashion, Stella McCartney Kids is at the reasonably priced end of the scale. T-shirts stay in the realm of two figures, and the prints and patterns are so unique, it’s not impossible to imagine paying $90 for a pair of galaxy printed leggings, or $135 for an organic cotton sweatshirt.

A good outfit lives and dies by its shoes, and Italy’s Golden Goose Deluxe Brand sneakers are to die for. These sneakers are glitter, suede and metallic leather wrapped up in a tiny package. Bonus: they’re pre-distressed so you won’t suffer that tragic moment the first time your new shoes get scuffed. And yes, there are kids who care about that – the kind of kids whose Italian-made sneakers cost $318.

Amid the logo print gumboots, signature Gucci red and green stripes, Gucci’s clothes for kids are full of luxe, playful details. Take the cropped boys’ jeans ($475) with an embroidered snake slithering up one leg, or the fluffy pink skirt with a sequined belt ($335).

Sonia Rykiel started in 1962, and almost 60 years later, Rykiel Enfant is proving that 60s fashion never went out of style. Shift dresses and swing coats, bright solids and bold flowers dominate the fall/winter collection. These dresses ($236) aren’t easy on the wallet, but quality often comes at a cost. We could just do with a slightly lower cost is all.

Bonpoint does gorgeous classic clothes with a fashionable twist. For boys, bowties are narrow, worn with a skinny collared shirt , and corduroy pants are chartreuse. For girls there are furry gilet vests, and denim jumpsuits. While the clothes are lovely, it’s the detail that makes them special. Each garment is made in the Bonpoint Paris atelier to strict standards: six stitches per centimetre, embroidery is done by hand, and as much as they can be, seams are invisible. Fast fashion, Bonpoint is not. It’s also not about online shopping; Bonpoint is another brand you’ll have to travel to Paris to buy.

Dolce and Gabbana’s silk dresses, tops and cropped pants for girls are not suitable for the playground. They are however perfect for paparazzi snaps, red carpet, and very fancy events, maybe with the Queen. They’re also good for twinning with mum. This printed silk Maiolica dress ($1700) comes in a grown-up version too.

MGSM does streetwear for kids – sweatshirts, t-shirts, sweatpants – and for clothes so expensive, the prints aren’t remarkable. But then the designers turn on the drama with huge collars on coats, origami-style manipulation of fabrics on dresses or the gorgeous leather biker jacket ($704) with a printed red lining. From the front, it’s all biker. Turn it around to show off the fringe, and it’s a little bit country. If Miss Tough Girl isn’t your thing, MGSM is partnering with Mattel and releasing a capsule collection of Barbie-inspired clothes for girls aged four to 14.

So now you’re in the high fashion know when it comes to kids’ clothes. Next on the list is to become a famous rapper so you can afford these designers.